Buying cans of disposable cans of air to clean computer parts seems pretty wasteful. Is there a reusable alternative? I'm wondering if you could fill your own can of air somehow. I know bike shops and gas stations have air compressors for filling tires, but those units are probably too large and expensive.

Post subject: Re: Are there any reusable alternatives to compressed air?

Posted: Wed Jan 09, 2013 2:42 pm

Joined: Mon Mar 17, 2008 1:49 pmPosts: 1571Location: UK

And if you have your own compressor, how are you going to power it? This will also have it's own environmental impact. An industrial, mass produced method will always be more efficient (and more environmentally friendly) than making it yourself.

You do not need compressed air. I've never seen the fascination. A light weight brush is good for removing dust, blowing also works well and you can get special electronics vacuums which avoid ESD issues. Professionally electronics vacuums are well used as it removes the contaminents rather than just moving them somewhere else. This will also be more efficient than your compressor idea.

Post subject: Re: Are there any reusable alternatives to compressed air?

Posted: Wed Jan 09, 2013 5:34 pm

Joined: Sun Sep 05, 2004 1:51 pmPosts: 687Location: Gefle, Sweden

When used correctly a single can of compressed air is good for a lot of cleaning and has the bonus of being perfectly safe for the electronics. Something like a compressor would be wasteful unless you have some other uses for one.

Post subject: Re: Are there any reusable alternatives to compressed air?

Posted: Fri Jan 11, 2013 7:35 pm

Joined: Sun Jan 06, 2013 4:39 pmPosts: 26

I think a foot powered bike pump might do the job. It also has the benefit of being useful if you have a bike. I think a automotive tire pump or a leaf blower would also do the trick. You'd have to lock the fans down though and I'm not sure if these appliances could discharge static.

Here's a video of a guy using a leaf blower on a computer which gave me the idea.

Where I work, we have a 10gal electric air compressor, and I haven't had any problems with it. In all of my experiences, it makes no difference if the fans are stopped or if you let them spin. For fans with special bearings, this may be different, but 95% of the computers I work with are generic OEM machines that have never even been opened.

I wouldn't use a leaf blower, it gives you no control over where you blow the dust (don't want it coming up at your face do you?). I use a smaller 110PSI electric compressor at home, no tank though. It all works well enough.

Get one of those refillable spray cans (uses compressed air) as they need only s small compressor or even a bicycle tire pump (get a good foot pump). No more expensive then the canned air and certainly just as effective when using a nozzle to direct the air.

Nice thing about them is you can buy multiple cans and use them for to spray different stuff (wd-40 pumps make good refills for them) I've also used windhsield washer fluid in one for cleaning car windows. Lots of possibilities and so long as you don't get to creative/dangerous you can even fill them with cooking oil to use in place of those garbage cooking sprays.

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